The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-14
MEN WHO HAVE BIG STORES,
Personal Sketches of Retail Dry Goods
Merchants of Indianapolis.
How They Began Business and Have Well
Earned the Fortunes They Are Now Ac-
quiring from Prosperous Trade.

and onions Later period when
dry goods stores sold dry goods and the
notions thereunto appertaining aud moth
ing more. Now the great dry goods
houses take in vide variety OF articles.
Many of the fancy and toilet articles shat former
Iy were looked upon belonging to the retail
drug business are now part of the retail dry
goods trade, and not only soaps and perfumeries
are found there but even patent medicines.
At the Christmas holiday season many of the re-
tail dry goods houses buy great quantities of
toys and books, well numerous articles of
household use. including glass and queensware
The first dry goods house that came to this
city to do away with the old-time store, and
transact business in a metropolitan fashion was
the New York store This house started
West Washington street. under the Bates
House, in 1853 by William and Hugh Glenn.
The enterprise made money from the very day
Of its start, and the Glenns, having acquired
com petence. sold out to Pettis, Dickson d Co.,
the store in the meantime having removed to
the bull ding on East Washington street that 1t
has since so long occupied William Glenn
turned to Ireland, where he lived the remainder
of his days a retired gentleman of fortune. dying
about year ago. Hugh Glenn, after remaining
out OF business for some time. went into the
retail dry goods trade at Utica, N. Y, where he
now Is en- years ago Inc uHSL uay
of August the firm of Petts, Dickson s. Co.
| changed, Mr. Dickson retiring and five years
| ago the firm again changed. the new partner
| ship being known Pettis, Bassett & Goa
| P. Petts. Thomas NJ. Bassett, VIM. R. N. Sill
| vester and John C. Lawrie. The New York
store has been a mine of gold to every one ever
having a partnership in it. and is apparently as
good for a century to come as it has been during
/ the past thirty-feur years. The present pro-
| pretors the first. however, who have looked
| upon Indianapolis as a home and have had
| social ties as we'll as business interests here.
The next oldess retail dry goods house in the
| city is that of L. s. Ayres & Co. This house
| was opened in October. 1867. in what is known
| as the Trade Palace building. where Horace
| Fletcher, years before, had started a dry goods
| house. The firm then Smith, Howard &
! Co., the ownership changing in 1871 to TO n r.
Smith and L. s. Ayres. and in 1874 to l.. s.
| Ayres & Co. Ia 1875 the establishment removed
| to building better adapted to the purposes of a
| frst-cass dry goods house. and which had been
built specially to fill those requirements, Nos.
| 49, 35 and 81 West Washington street, where
| they have since remained, notwithstanding the
| transformer nnisan ce before their doors. This
house, with its cl srks and manufacturing de-
! partment, employa, even in midsummer, 100 per
| sons, being n greater number on the payroll
| than is shown by any dry goods house In the
1 city.
| On the retirement of Andrew Dickson from
| the New York store he secured the well-known
| Trade Palace stand. where. as a shrewd buyer
| and understanding the wants OF the retail trade
| of this city. Mr.. Dickson soon built up large
| trade, notwithstanding the fact that when he
made his venture it was thought there
| more than e,nou Oh retail dry goods houses al
ready. In this establishment every thing moves
| like clock work. and Mr.. Dickson himself is
| perfect example of the exact and methodIcal
| business
| aud took service clerk in the dry goods
house of L. Fl. Tyler & Co.. in what was known
the Bee Hive store, northwest corner of
| Washington and Meridian streets. Mr. WATSON
s, a very Young man and like the late Sir JOS
| eph Porter, K. G. B., of Pinafore fame, his
! duties We're numerous and onerous, the schedule
! embodying everything from sweeping out in the
| morning to the duties of head salesman and
| cashier. In 1873 he formed partnership known
| as Close & WATSON and continued business at
| the Bee Hive. His former employer. Mr.. Tyler,
| moved to New York and went into
9S1ns sraes where he Ansns
tine, Fla. Mr.. Tyler's partner, George
| NJ. Travers went from here to Detroit,
where he conducted dry goods store for some
time. He is now in the retail dry goods trade
! at Lincoln. Nebraska. In 1881 Close q WATSON
removed their stock to Louisville. KY but after
| three aud half years experience there Mr. Was
sonr eturned to Indianapolis an d in September,
1885, opened out large store at Nos. IL and IA
! Weet Washington street On the 9th Of May last
| occurred the fire which severely damaged the
store and stock of H. P. WATSON Co. and com
PEELED temporary removal to No. 80 South
Meridian street. In the meantime the burned
promises have been undergoing repairs. and when
the establishment opens up agalr at its former
quarters, in the first week in September, it Is
promised to be the handsomest retail dry goods
house in the West
| Dennis J. Sullivan has been resident Of this
city seventeen years. AS his name would indi
cate ne is an Irishman, and came to this country
from County Kerry, Ireland. in 1870. He
landed in New York. and could find nothing to
do, until one day an old fellow IN the nelRhbor-
hood of Castle Garden asked him il he could
drive hack. He promptly replied that he
I could though as a matter of fact he had never
Irtvy hnrG i1h fC ia md m
about driving than he did about driving
team of sixteen Eskimo dogs Two months. at
$25 month, enough, and after getting his
money he concluded to go West. He bought a
suit Of clothes, and then began making
inquiries to eligible location for a
young man of his ability and where the sweetly
persuasive Irish tongue would be in demand
| He inquired the railroad fare TO Cincinnati, then
to Chicago and ST. Louis. and finally to Indian
apolis. The fare to the last named city was
$21, which nearly sized his pile. He took train
for the Hoosier capital, arriving here on Friday
found employment at the New York dry goods
store as clerk. On the 9th of March. 1882
be started small dry goods store In Milers
block, on North Illinois street. which he gave
the name of ".ue Philadelphia store" Business
prospered and one year later he removed to the
in the northeast corner of the St Charles
block This last place he left for his present
location. Nos. and West WashiE gton street.
the 18th OF April, 1887. Mr.. Sullivan is a
thorough Irishman and stands by home rule
through thick and thin. He is cap tain of Com
pany /, Second Regiment, Indiana militia
NJ H. Spades began the dry goods business in
this city as a clerk in the house of Robertson &
East No. 10 West Washington street. James
East is now living at Salem. James Robertson.
who has retired from active business, is presi-
dent of the Franklin Fire Insurance Company, of
this city In the spring of 1869 Mr.. Spades
started in business for himself, at No. 20 East
Washington street, where ne bought the fancy
goods store of A. S. Chase. 1t was rather a
small establishment. but, small as 1t was, it was
great swing for Mr. Spades. whose worldly
possessions amounted to just 1920 cash capital.
He was aided, however, by his old employer,
Mr. Robertson and took the store determined to
make the business success. In 1872 Hubbard's
block being completed, he removed
to large in that building
and bossomed out as dry goods man. He re-
NAMED in that location six years and then re-